1. Field
The present embodiments generally relate to processes for upgrading hydrocarbons. More particularly, embodiments of the present invention relate to processes for upgrading hydrocarbons using a solvent de-asphalting unit, visbreaker and/or fluid catalytic cracker.
2. Description of the Related Art
Solvent de-asphalting (“SDA”) processes have been used to treat heavy hydrocarbons using a solvent to generate asphaltic and de-asphalted oil (“DAO”) products. The asphaltic and DAO products are typically further treated and/or processed into useful products.
Solvent deasphalting can be economically attractive when downstream treatment facilities such as hydrotreating, fluid catalytic cracking, or visbreaking are adequately sized to process the large volume of DAO generated. Since the DAO produced using a solvent deasphalting process typically contains a mixture of both high and low viscosity oils, additional processing, such as visbreaking, is necessary to reduce the viscosity of the DAO. Treating the entire volume of DAO produced can require a substantial investment in capital equipment and supporting infrastructure, often making the installation financially unattractive in remote locations.
A need exists for an improved process to efficiently upgrade de-asphalted oil by reducing the viscosity of the de-asphalted oil to provide pipeline quality, lower viscosity, synthetic, crude oil.